The Power of MummRa
by Jet556
Summary: Final sequel to The Savage Heart. Gard, Hattanzo and Lynx-O rush to the aid of an evabon village threatened by the villain worshipping, Scourge of Mumm-Ra. As they do so, Gard gets to know the young evabon Balor, one so familiar yet so different.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome back gang. Well, here we are, the conclusion of Gard's saga. This will end with an epic conclusion. Characters from The Savage Heart will appear, characters from Enter Procyon will appear and I promise you that even the mentioned characters will appear with new characters appearing also. As for the Scourge of Mumm-Ra, he won't be appearing until the seventh chapter to give him a proper build-up. As for the evabon child that was introduced at the end of Enter Procyon, I have chosen a name for him: Balor, much shorter than Bellerophon and less Greek. Without further wait, here we go!**

**A Long Canoe Ride**

Gard paddled away. In a great canoe, Gard and Hattanzo did their work. Lynx-O sat in the middle, listening to his surroundings. And then there was the young evabon boy, Balor his name was, he sat in front of Lynx-O, starring at him with curious eyes.

"Are you a cat?" Balor looked at Lynx-O curiously. "I've never seen a cat before." The boy touched Lynx-O's leg. "My father told me that cats were evil monsters. You don't look so bad." Lynx-O pushed Balor's hand away from his leg, clearly annoyed. "Why are you covered in hair? Are all cats covered in hair?" Gard let out a sigh. Balor had the curiousness of a young cat or a young petalar. "Are all cats blind?" Lynx-O mumbled a response, something that Balor didn't hear. "Are all cats like you?"

"So… Balor, what can you tell us about this 'Scourge of Mumm-Ra?'" Gard wanted to know what he could about whom he'd be going up against. This 'Scourge of Mumm-Ra' was mysterious at the very least, with stories saying that he breathed fire and was invincible as long as he touched the earth. Gard's cousin Thomeheb had been under the impression that by rubbing dirt on himself he was invincible. Didn't help him when he died in a battle at sea. Gard thought about that. He thought about how among the races of third earth, the belief of being connected to earth to be invincible did not belong solely to evabon.

"He's an evabon, like you and me, Gard!" Gard listened intently. Balor said that the Scourge was and evabon like the two of them.

"Like us?" Balor nodded and pointed at his skin.

"Grey-skinned!" Gard was puzzled. Another grey-skin? Thomeheb had grey skin but Thomeheb had died when Gard was thirty-four. It couldn't have him. "And he's a giant! Bigger than any of us in this canoe!" That made Gard think. Thomeheb had been large, twelve feet in fact but the tallest evabon on record had been twenty feet. That made Gard consider what Balor had said. The Scourge could have been that tall, the height range for evabon only went as far as twenty feet and that height was particularly rare. "He rides upon a huge mount and he wields a strange weapon." Hattanzo turned his head to look at Balor but quickly turned back to paddling when Gard glared at him to focus. "It's not like a tomahawk, a bow and arrow, a yumi, a kanabo, a dory spear, an aspis, a claymore, targe, dirk, a composite bow it's not like any of those it is a magic weapon!" Balor stood up. Gard's eyes widened in alarm and Lynx-O forced the boy back down without standing up. "He just points it at someone and a sound like thunder is heard and a light comes from the weapon then the person dies." Gard thought about that. The Scourge had a weapon of the technological kind, a gun. He also thought about Balor knowing every evabon weapon. The lad's father must have been a blacksmith or a warrior. Just who was the Scourge of Mumm-Ra?


	2. Chapter 2

**Welcome back, gang. As I promised there would be many returning characters. Starting early on we will begin with a minor character from The Savage Heart.**

**Evabon's Best Friend**

That night, the group camped out on the riverbank. There was still some distance for them but it was faster to travel by canoe than on foot. As they all sat around a fire, talking. The adults talked at least, young Balor on the other hand was standing at the river trying to catch the creatures that swam in the water. Barefoot, with the only half below the waist dressed Gard noticed scars on the young evabon's back.

"What are those scars on your back, lad?" Gard looked at the scars. How he had not noticed them before was beyond Gard. It only made Gard wonder who or what could do such a thing to a mere child?

"Our village has a very strict shaman." Balor turned to face the elder evabon. A frightened look was on his face. "He takes a whip to any child that does not follow his teachings."

"His teachings?" Lynx-O spit into the fire. "I know evabon and I'm not proud of how I came to know them and I know that shamans don't have individual teachings!"

"This one does!" Balor stepped towards the fire. "He's cruel! He controls shadows and fire and he summons monsters!" That comment. It caused Gard to think. His grandfather's grandfather had been a shaman. Shamans were kind, working with the earth, the air, the fire and the water. Shamans did not control things, they had no control over shadows and they did not summon monsters. There was something wrong about this person Balor described. "He is very old. His name is Kleos. Do you know him Gard?"

"Kleos was a common name when I was young." Gard scratched his chin. Kleos had been a common name. Why was this Kleos so particular besides for be very un-shaman-like?

"He had me whipped for protecting a tolac with pups!" Balor placed a hand on his own back, remembering the pain. "Tolacs are out guards, scouts, pets, partners, mounts… how could Kleos hate them?"

"How can someone hate the first friend?" Gard thought about the question. He then thought about a specific tolac, one that he had known: Calaban. What had happened to him? Gard then heard something. A howl in the distance!

"I've never heard anything like that." Hattazno listened intently to the howl. "Or maybe I have, I don't care."

"It is a tolac!" Balor walked towards the direction that the howl had come from. "How's that for irony?" Gard had been thinking the same thing. It would have been even more ironic if the tolac turned out to be Calaban.

"Well, I have a feeling things might get more ironic." Gard got up and walked closer towards Balor. And sure enough he saw a familiar sight. He saw Calaban, his companion during his long exile. "Didn't I tell you, my tolac: Calaban!" Calaban walked up to Gard and for the first time, he saw a big Calaban was. Eleven feet in length!

Calaban barked at Gard, happily. He then proceeded to sniff Balor. The young evabon backed away a bit, nervous around this strange tolac. "He won't hurt me… will he?" Balor watched as Calaban walked over to Lynx-O and began to sniff the old blind cat.

"He's fine." Gard pushed Balor into Calaban's direction. As Balor nervously walked over to the tolac, Gard wondered if the Wiley's had been nervous when they met him. As Balor walked closer towards Calaban, he thought about what Kleos would do if he were to find out about this. Finally, it was Calaban that walked up to the young evabon and licked Balor's right hand. A smile appeared on his face and Balor patted Calaban on the head. A tolac truly was an evabon's best friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome back, gang. We now continue on this journey with Gard. Enjoy.**

**The Eyes of a Child**

When morning came, the group continued one their journey by canoe. Calaban with them, standing still in the canoe, he was slowing down their travel. Gard tried his best not to be angry but the expression on his face said more than his silence did. Balor could see this. Looking up into the adult's eyes, he saw frustration.

"I can't take it anymore." Gard groaned. Gard and Hattanzo stopped rowing and Lynx-O turned his head to face Gard.

"What's the matter?" Lynx-O heard the frustration in Gard's voice. As Balor looked at Lynx-O, the child saw calmness in the blind cats eyes. He was young, he simply did not understand. Hattanzo laughed and Balor looked over in his direction.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Balor didn't understand what was wrong. He didn't even know what any of adults were talking about. "Or maybe it isn't, I'm not sure." Balor frowned. Why didn't Hattazno ever make sense? The child looked out to the bank, the adults had started to bicker and Balor was not amused by them bickering like children. He had just discovered irony.

As Balor looked out at the land he saw something. What was it? A dust cloud? Sand? Whatever it was it was coming this way. Balor stood up, ignoring Gard telling him to sit back down and causing Calaban to get excited and jump around barking. It was all of this that caused the canoe to tip over.

While Gard helped Lynx-O to shore and Hattazno rode Calaban to shore, Balor was for the first time in his life in deep water. This was his lesson: Sink or Swim.

Self-confident and resourceful, he learned quickly. Balor began to paddle until his head was above the water. Not use to swimming, the young savage was easily tired by it. As he began to swim to shore, Balor saw the cloud that he had seen in the distance get even closer and closer. By the time he reached the shore, Balor passed out completely from exhaustion. It had seemed like he had been swimming forever and it was difficult for him. He had learned to swim the worst way possible.

When Balor regained consciousness, he found himself in what could best be described as the belly of a steel beast! Looking at him were strange people. Where was he? Who were these strangers? And then Calaban appeared, a worried look on the tolac's face, and he licked Balor. Lynx-O and Hattanzo were there too! As Balor sat up, he noticed that there was a blanket on him. As he scratched the whip scars on his back something came to Balor's attention. Where was Gard? Then a strange pet sat on Balor's lap.

"Lynx-O? Hattanzo? Where are we? Where's Gard? Who and what are these people? What is this thing of my lap?" Balor tried to get up but found himself being weighed down by the pet that refused to get out of his lap.

"One question at a time." Lynx-O was sitting on what looked like a bench. Actually, everyone was sitting on a bench it caused Balor to wonder why he was on the floor. "First, we are in a tank I believe it's called. Second, Gard is with the driver, a cat I know named Panthro. Third, these are the ThunderCats, some of my own people. Last, that thing on your lap is Snarf." Balor looked at the thing on his lap. Snarf? That was a strange name. Might as well as have named it Osbert or something. He then looked at the ThunderCats.

"But they all look so different from you!" There was a laugh from the youngest of the ThunderCats, a couple of fraternal twins his age.

"Don't worry, kid, they're cats, just like me!" Lynx-O's reply made Balor wonder. Cats came in different appearances just like how evabon came in different skin colors. This was too much for him to take in all at once. Balor leaned back and rested his head against Calaban while Snarf moved up to rest on Balor's chest. As Balor began to pat Snarf, two of the ThunderCats whispered to one another.

"Tygra?" One of them said. "Doesn't Balor look a little like Gard?"

"Cheetara…" replied the other. " if it was a snake it would have bitten me!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome back, gang. Now in the previous chapter I brought the ThunderCats into the story. Also I showed a bit more focus on Balor. His child-like curiousness makes him fun to write and he is an interesting contrast to the older evabon Gard. Balor will be getting plenty of character development, I'll promise you that.**

**The Terror of Kleos**

As they all travelled in the tank Balor thought about home. Was his mother still alive? Had the Scourge of Mumm-Ra started to raid the village daily? He wished he knew. The Scourge of Mumm-Ra led lizards, monkeys and jackals! Was the Scourge truly an evabon? What kind of a monster could command such a gang of marauders?

"Hey!" Balor looked over at WilyKit. He had learned the names of the ThunderCats and found them to be strange and different from his name or the names of his fellow evabon. "What are you thinking about?" Balor sighed.

"Home." Balor thought for a moment. Would there even be a village when they got there?

"What's it like?" Balor's eyes closed for a moment and he smiled happily. He wasn't thinking about how it was currently, he was thinking about how it used to be.

"Simple and happy." The smile faded from Balor's face as he thought about how it was. "Now everything is so complicated and sad."

"Because of the Scourge of Mumm-Ra?" Balor looked over at Lion-O as the leader of the ThunderCats kneeled next to him. "Gard told us about him, what your village is going through." Balor sat up a bit causing Calaban to look up at the young evabon protectively. "He told us that you called him a giant. He said he had a cousin like that and also how evabon like that are born. Do you know how?" Balor shook his head. "Then I'll tell you."

"Lion-O, I don't think that's such a good idea." Balor looked over at Tygra. What was this stranger of orange and black talking about? "He's just a kid, information like that will give him nightmares!"

"He has to know, Tygra!" Lion-O's voice was aggressive and assertive. "He has to know how that monster that's been terrorizing his village was created so no more like that can come into existence." As Lion-O began to explain to Balor, the young evabon quickly placed his hands over his ears. He didn't want to know. Lion-O just looked at this with an understanding look in his eyes. Balor wasn't ready to know how to prevent something like the Scourge of Mumm-Ra from being born. Balor felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Cheetara looking at one of the scars that Balor had gotten from Kleos' whip.

"Who did this to you?" Usually stoic, Cheetara looked in horror at the scars on Balor's back. Gard must have not told them about Kleos. Hattanzo and Lynx-O knew so why didn't they tell the ThunderCats either? WilyKat and WilyKit both walked over to take a look as did Tygra who al shared Cheetara's horrified expression. Lion-O merely looked away with a pained look on his face. They must have not seen his back when he was brought into the tank. "Balor, tell us!"

"Master Kleos." Balor closed his eyes. Kleos had put fear in Balor's heart. He did not know how to speak the name without fear. "Master Kleos did this to me!"

"Master Kleos?" Tygra's voice was filled with hatred for the name. "Why gives him the right to do something like that to you?"

"He's our shaman but he's not like other shamans!" Balor spoke quickly, his voice full of fear, his eyes closed unless Kleos would suddenly appear. To Balor, Kleos was a sort of bogeyman. The boy feared the mad shaman and did not want to be hurt by Kleos. "He appeared one day and killed our old shaman Father Amotken and cast out our other shaman Mother Coatlicue." Balor began to tremble in fear but then he stopped when he felt a gentle touch. He looked and saw Calaban licking his arm. The fear left him and Balor looked at the tolac, seeing the gentleness of Gard in Calaban. "Kleos is just as bad as the Scourge of Mumm-Ra I originally came in search of help against the Scourge but I think I might have found help against Kleos, too." As Balor calmed down with the fear leaving him he heard a voice.

"Village in sight. Here's hoping this isn't another detour."


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome back, gang. Well, Gard and his friends have reached Balor's village. After learning about what the village is like from Balor we now get to see the village and even it's mad shaman Kleos.**

**The Mad Shaman**

Kleos sat in the temple. A young evabon who could be no more than twenty-seven, Kleos had skin as white as snow and eyes as green as new grass. His hair was a gray as stone but asides from his physical appearance by way of his coloration Kleos' appearance was hardly intimidating. His right leg was twisted to such a degree that it no longer resembled a leg. Kleos' was not physically intimidating he looked like a living skeleton and speaking of skeletons, Kleos owned a staff that had a skull upon it, the skull supposedly belonging to his own father, and said staff was frequently used as a back scratcher. Kleos had learned how to be cruel from his own father whom had learned how to be cruel from his father whom had learned how to be cruel from his father. It was made even worse by the fact that each son had killed their father and thus Kleos never took a wife so he could not be killed. And so as this robed figure watched as those loyal to him chipped away at a great stone to make a statue of a god, something that evabon did not do. Then one of the evabon turned to look at him.

"Forgive me, Master Kleos." Kleos starred with critical eyes at the carver who was speaking to him. "But we are not used to creating such a thing. Evabon do not make statues of this size, this statue could end up looking crudely made even the temple looks crude because evabon do not build temples, we do not worship gods because there are no-" Kleos raised his staff and the carver fell dead. The others looked at the body of their friend and then went back to work. Then a sound of footsteps came to Kleos' ears or rather his ear, since his left ear had been bitten off by a tolac he had been beating for fun.

"I was wondering where you were, Balor." Kleos didn't even turn around. "And you brought others with you. Another evabon, a tolac, and a bunch of non-evabon. My dear boy, it seems to me like you need to be punished." Kleos turned around and saw the evabon that Balor had brought with him. Kleos' jaw dropped. It was impossible. "So you do exist." The old evabon literally looked down at Kleos, he was only three feet tall after all.

"Kleos, at last we meet." A grin appeared on the mad shaman's face.

"We know each other only by name, Gard." Kleos scratched his chin. "Your legend extends almost as far as my own!"

"Hardly." Gard's comment had so much truth in it. Kleos had an ego the size of Third Earth and barely anyone knew who he was, only the inhabitants of this small village knew who he was. So there sat Kleos, Gard's comment had made him angry and he had began to plot his revenge for that insult.


	6. Chapter 6

**Welcome back, gang. One chapter away from the Scourge of Mumm-Ra's debut. This is another Balor centric chapter, maybe. Hope you all like it. Enjoy.**

**Amaterasu**

Gard starred down at the dwarf that was Kelos. He then turned and looked at his companions. "All of you leave." The carvers looked at Gard with happy looks on their faces. "This is between me and him."

"Yes, send them all away!" Kleos laughed. "Send the child away. I should let you know, Balor, that your mother called out your name before she died!" Kleos continued to laugh. The carvers, finding this to be cruel, left the temple. Balor's eyes widened in shock, tears running down his face with an angry look in his eyes. The evabon child started to leap at the dwarf but was held back by Tygra. The tiger turned the evabon child to face him.

"It'll be okay." Tygra looked at the tears flowing down the young grey-skin's face. "Come on lets go." Tygra walked Balor out of the temple, followed by the rest of Gard's companions, Calaban included. They walked to the center of the village where a large drum was. The black skinned drummer, Arjuna stood there with a club in hand, ever ready for when he had to alert the village for one of the Scourge of Mumm-Ra's attacks. As Balor cried, Panthro placed the child on the drum, getting the attention of Arjuna.

"What'd ya think ya doing?" Arjuna shouted bringing his attention to everyone nearby from Amaterasu the Herbalist to Bue the Weaver. "Ya wanna ruin this drum?"

"Oh, give it a rest Arjuna." Amaterasu shook his head. "The drum won't be ruined. It's nothing more but an insect mound beaten into this shape." This brown skinned evabon woman then walked over to young Balor. Ninte-nine years old, Amaterasu was the very embodiment of kindness. "You did well, Balor. You have found help and it has been many years since I have seen these young faces." Balor looked up at Amaterasu and then looked over at the elderly drummer Arjuna. Holding a club aloft, Arjuna looked at the child and then looked at the help he had found. "Beat that drum to scare the boy and you will bring upon you the anger of the village itself. I will not be able to help you my son if they choose to banish you for this." Arjuna heeded his mother's warning and not wanting to anger his neighbors for banging the drum to scare a child lowered his club. The old herbalist then looked down at the child and placed a hand on his chin. "Calm now. You are home, among friends and you have brought with you a guardian angel, Gard himself!" She then looked down at the WilyKittens. "And you two, people the same age of Balor will be able to help him after what he has learned." Panthro starred in wonder at this elderly evabon woman.

"Have we met?" This was something that was on the minds of all of Gard's companions. Amaterasu laughed.

"We true shamans are known to all for we are friends of those whose hearts are pure." And with that she vanished. Even her son Arjuna seemed baffled at this. Who was this strange woman? They didn't have time to think of that though. Balor needed some cheering up.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here we are gang! The debut of the Scourge of Mumm-Ra. Now, I'd like to point out that originally I was going to focus more on the Scourge's build-up but instead I ended up focusing on Balor's character development. I don't know maybe I gained something and maybe I lost something but I'm happy with what I've done.**

**The Scourge of Mumm-Ra**

Days passed. Gard sat waiting in the brush, ready to ambush the Scourge of Mumm-Ra when he came. It would be any moment now!

With him was Calaban, the tolac was ever loyal to Gard. The two would face the Scourge together. Around them were their allies, waiting also for the Scourge and his followers to appear. As they waited, Gard heard someone walking towards them.

"I thought I told you kids to stay put." Gar didn't turn to look at Balor and the Wilys. "This isn't something for your eyes. To the victors go the glory of battle, to the defeated the horrors of war. Children shouldn't see these things."

"We all wish we never saw these things but that's not why we're here." Balor was calm or at least he was trying to stay calm. The news of his mother's death was really hard on him. "We… we found an old prison tower."

"We think we could use it to imprison the Scourge of Mumm-Ra!" Gard turned to look at WilyKat.

"Imprison?" Gard laughed. "Imprison someone who takes gets power from the rock of eternity in a tower?" Gard continued to laugh and looked out at a nearby lake. "I must say it's better than my idea of putting him on a island. Whose idea was this?"

"Mine." Gard looked at WilyKit and smiled.

"Smart girl." Gard looked out and saw a dust cloud. A dust cloud made by a moving force, a gang of marauders. Calaban growled as Gard realized whom it was. "You kids better get to safety." The kids ran off and Gard looked down at Calaban who looked up at him. "Well, old friend, I must say that if this is it you are my best friend and would gladly die by your side." Calaban wagged his tail and Gard grinned in return.

The battle against the Scourge of Mumm-Ra's forces was long. Neither side showed any signs of defeat. The Scourge was the most formidable of the marauders armed with a rifle he shot down many of the villagers that had decided to aid Gard against him and his gang. Upon his rhinoceros-like mount, the Scourge saw the impossible. The villagers were fighting against him strangers had come to their aid! It did not matter. He alone would emerge victorious.

Then what should appear but a tolac, jumping at his steed the struggle between the two animals caused the Scourge to be thrown from his mount. In anger the Scourge fired at the tolac only to hit his mount instead.

Furious, the Scourge threw his rifle aside where it ultimately landed in the nearby lake. The giant evabon then proceeded to beat the tolac to death with his very hands.

By the time Gard arrived on the scene, it was too late. The tolac had been Calaban, Gard's tolac. With Gard was Lion-O, feeling the same amount of grief that Gard did. They both starred at the Scoruge and Gard recognized the giant.

The height, the muscular build, the black hair and eyes, the grey skin… it was impossible!

"You've grown older, cousin." The Scourge's voice was filled with familiarity. Gard knew him well. Both Gard and Lion-O were surprised. Gard was surprised because of the Scourge's identity. Lion-O was surprised because of what the Scourge had called Gard.

"As have you, Thomeheb." Gard looked up at his cousin. A giant standing at a height of twelve feet, Thomeheb was a hulking figure with a scar on his chest. "You will pay for the deaths you have caused." Thomeheb laughed. He then kneeled down and started rubbing dirt on his body.

"You think so?" Thomeheb stood up once he was finished rubbing dirt on himself. "Mumm-Ra's power is in the Rock of Eternity. I cannot be defeated." Gard looked around and the fighting started to cease. The presence of these two grey-skinned evabon caused everyone to know what would happen. This would be a clash of the titans. Thomeheb charged. With his arms outstretched to crush Gard in a bear hug Thomeheb was surprised when Gard jumped over him. Turning around to look at his smaller cousin. Gard looked around as everyone had formed into a huge circle around him and Thomeheb. And then Thomeheb caught him! As the giant crushed the old savage, Thomeheb taunted Gard with envy. "Grandfather's favorite! Bah! You are weak, cousin! A disgrace to our grandfather's bloodline!"

"Please! I beg you!" Gard gasped in pain. The look on Thomeheb's face was one of joy. Gard, their grandfather's favorite, begging for life! "Eat some mint leaves!" The look on Thomeheb's changed from one of joy to a dumb struck look. The dumb struck look on Thomeheb's face then turned to one of pure unstoppable rage. The giant threw the old savage towards the lake hoping to drown his cousin.

"You make jokes when your death is inevitable?" The black eyes of the giant starred into the blue eyes of the old savage. "Do you not know what fear is?"

"The savage heart knows no fear." Gard started to walk sideways. Thomeheb did the same until the two combatants were circling each other.

"You are a fool!" Thomeheb laughed a deep, cruel and mocking laugh. "You believe you are the reincarnation of Antaeus?"

"I know I am." Gard let out a sign and stood still. "I'm really sorry about this." The old savage charged at the giant with speed that was unnaturally fast. Thomeheb's eyes widened in horror as Gard tackled him into the lake! As the water covered him, the giant knew that defeat had come for him. "See the Rock of Eternity wash off of you, cousin!" Thomeheb's eyes widened again as the impossible happened. Gard lifted Thomeheb in the air as if he was nothing more but a child. Everyone watched as the dirt washed off of the giant's body. The Scourge of Mumm-Ra had been defeated.


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome back, gang. Now for those of you who were shocked at the fight between Gard and Thomeheb in the previous chapter let me ask you something: Were you really expecting the climax to be this early?**

**Join the Celebration!**

That night Thomeheb wasted away in the old prison tower. With no connection to the earth, the "Rock of Eternity", he was powerless. It was different when he was upon a mount, short periods off of the ground he could handle. It was the long periods he had trouble with. How he longed to be beneath the earth!

In the village, the people celebrated. Gard honored Calaban's death, he cursed it, he mourned it and he also made it the stuff of legend. His greatest friend was gone. What was left for him now? He then looked at the happiness around him. Maybe Calaban's death wasn't all for nothing? But still he stayed away. Then he saw Balor holding a tolac pup. Gard blinked. It was impossible! The same way that Balor resembled a young Gard, that pup resembled a young Calaban.

With Balor were the ThunderCats, save Panthro and Lynx-O. While the Wily's looked at the young pup, Lion-O, Tygra and Cheetara starred in wonder.

"The resemblance is uncanny." Tygra looked at both of the youngsters, the child and the pup, whispering to Lion-O and Cheetara. He was thinking the same thing that Gard was.

"One can only wonder what Gard is thinking about all of this." Lion-O looked over at Gard. He was carving Calaban's likeness into a piece of wood.

"The universe works in mysterious ways." Cheetara looked at the pup that Balor had named Andvari. She looked at the pup in wonder. Calaban had been son big and Andvari was so small, smaller than Snarf. In many ways it seemed to reflect how Gard was so much older than Balor and thus taller and seeming that some day the young evabon and tolac might even resemble their adult counterparts even more. It just seemed like there would always be someone like Gard and Calaban. When Cheetara had met Gard she had been expecting a monster like the rest of the ThunderCats. When she met him, Cheetara and the rest of the ThunderCats felt some guilt when they saw that Gard wasn't a monster and as they got to know him they saw him as more of a tragic outcast.

Gard did not join the celebration. While some had asked him to, he was more focused on carving Calaban's likeness out of wood. He had no intentions to join the celebration.

Balor had changed. He was happier and talking to the Wily's more and even a bit shy around the older ThunderCats. He was as he should be. Full of life, with the defeat of Thomeheb Kleos had practically vanished. No longer would Balor fear Kleos. He was safe. Perhaps his mother's spirit was watching over him.

Then Snarf walked over and sniffed the tolac pup. Andvari licked Snarf's nose, only knowing the strange creature to be a friend. There were so many sounds the pup just didn't know what was going on. He was too young to know what was going on.

The village was happier. Thomeheb was imprisoned Kleos had vanished. The ThunderCats would stay for a few days to help the villagers get back on their feet after the endless attacks from the Scourge of Mumm-Ra and Gard would stay since he wasn't sure about what direction he would go in now, his life was so long and still a mystery. He still felt like an outcast. Would his days as one ever be over?


	9. Chapter 9

**Welcome back, gang. In this chapter we return to both Thomeheb and Kleos, the villains of this piece. Which one is the main villain can be up to you. Oh, and what's this? Characterization for Thomeheb? Bonus! Oh, and if you see a disturbing similarity between Thomeheb and Addicus, here is a tidbit for you: unlike Procyon, Thomeheb is not meant to be sympathetic or tragic, he's suppose to be downright evil!**

**Invincibility**

Thomeheb wasted away in his prison. Day after day, he was brought fruit, food from the earth. He did not like it, food from the earth and he wasn't able to touch it! He had never like fruit he had been carnivorous to the point of eating sentient beings. He had enjoyed the flesh of cats the most! Stealing their children. Those defenseless balls of hair, there was two of them in the village and he couldn't get to them! Thomeheb was losing some muscle. The lack of the food he wanted, the lack of contact to the earth, he was wasting away both in strength and muscle.

He then heard the guards fall down. He turned to look at the door of his cell and there stood Kleos. Obediently, the giant kneeled before the dwarf.

"Priest of Mumm-Ra!" Thomeheb watched as Kleos held out a hand full of dirt. Instantly, Thomeheb tried to force his arms through the bars of his cell door. He had not lost enough muscle apparently.

"Pathetic!" Kleos did not come closer so he could hand the dirt to Thomeheb. A disappointed look on Kleos' face said everything. "If you are not strong enough to kill Gard what servant of the Ever-Living is?"

"Do you come to mock my failure?" Thomeheb's voice rang out through the prison tower. "If we had been underground my strength would have been at its maximum! He would not have survived, I would not have been humiliated." Kleos laughed.

"Indeed." Thomeheb's black eyes starred down at Kleos, filled with anger. "I desire revenge as well!" Kleos still did not walk closer to hand Thomeheb the dirt. "He insulted me when I said his legend extends almost as far as my own. Kill him for me and we both get our revenge!"

"I am yours to command, Priest of Mumm-Ra!" Thomeheb starred longingly at the dirt in Kleos' hand. Finally, Kleos put his hand through the bar and handed the dirt to the giant. Thomeheb began to rub the dirt all over. Immediately, he felt his strength return to him and he broke through the door to his cell. As he walked towards the stairs, he was stopped by Kleos.

"Wait!" Thomeheb turned to look at the dwarf. He was holding a medallion with a snake motif to it. "Wear this into battle. I want it to be the last thing he sees before you kill him." The giant nodded and placed the medallion around his neck, like a tolac wearing a collar and then he left.


	10. Chapter 10

**Welcome back, gang. As much as Gard is supposed to be the main character, I keep finding that in this story it is Balor who the story focuses on most of the time. I don't know, I guess a writer's characters have a way of doing that. Anyway I hope you enjoy as Procyon appears in this chapter, despite his death in the previous story.**

**I Must Defend The Bridge!**

One morning, Balor walked onto the shore of the lake with Andvari by his side. He looked up at the clouds and the sun. The look in his eyes was what Gard felt. To be the last of his family, it was painful. In Gard's view, Thomeheb was no longer his cousin. Procyon had redeemed himself but Thomeheb… there was no chance of redemption for him.

They both looked so much alike, Gard and Balor. The evabon child and the old savage, Gard had thought about it but Balor had no idea. Balor was only thinking of two things.

"Do you miss them?" Balor turned his head as WilyKit walked up to him. Balor knew whom she was talking about. They were both the same age, different species… why was he able to relate with her so much easier than with any of the other ThunderCats?

"Don't you miss yours?" Kit was caught off guard by this question. She had expected Balor to answer her question but instead he asked one.

"I barely got to know my father, my mother is the one I remember best." Balor looked down at his reflection in the water. He felt the same way. What he remembered of his father was what little he knew of him. He had been so young and only remembered a few things of him, like what he said about cats. His mother had always been there to protect him, like his father had. He missed them. "My brother says that when we find the lost city of El-Dara we'll be home but the last place that felt like home to me was the elephant village do you ever feel like that?" Balor thought about that question.

"I don't know." Balor looked at Kit, his eyes filled with nothing but confusion. "I really don't…" Balor trailed off as from the corner of his eye he saw a tall red-skinned evabon standing upon a boulder beneath a tree. Balor turned around to look at the red-skinned stranger Kit followed his gaze and was equally surprised.

"A kitten and someone who is made in the image of one I know." The red evabon was holding a sword in both hands. His hands were to his chest with the blade pointing downward. Balor and Kit both walked up to the stranger, Andvari followed them. The stranger didn't even look down at them. He merely looked out across the lake.

"Who are you?" Balor looked at the sword in the stranger's hands. It was gigantic!

"Procyon." The stranger still didn't look down at the two children.

"Gard's brother?" The stranger nodded at Kit's question. "But he said you died so all of third earth could live!"

"I died and now I live again at the floating mountain as guard of the rainbow bridge." Balor and Kit both looked at each other. Balor understood evabon lore well. Kit did not. "I must defend the bridge! I must defend the bridge! I must defend the bridge!" As the red-skinned evabon started to chant those words, Balor and Kit watched with wide eyes as Procyon began to fade away before their very eyes. By the time Procyon had vanished completely, they heard a sound. Balor, Kit and Andvari turned around as they saw the giant!


	11. Chapter 11

**Welcome back, gang. Now I admit leaving the previous chapter on a cliffhanger was something. Two children and a pup being confronted by Thomeheb was something that made you all wonder what would happen next. So without further wait, I present to you this chapter.**

**Injury**

Beaten and bruised, Balor half-walked, half-crawled into the village. Followed by Andvari, whining with worry, Balor moved towards a house were Gard, the ThunderCats, Hattanzo and Lynx-O were busy repairing, or in Lynx-O's case handing tools to the others.

It was Panthro that was the first to take notice of Balor. He starred at the injured child.

"What happened to you?" Everyone looked at Balor. He was bleeding in some places. Panthro was not surprised at the sight of the black blood. He had seen it before. The others ThunderCats however were completely surprised by it. Balor's injuries had surprised everyone. Gard starred and deep down anger was forming.

"Thomeheb!" Balor fell to his knees. His injuries were hard on him. "He took Kit!"

"It's a challenge!" Gard jumped off of the roof. He picked up Balor and put him on a stool. "He brutally hurt Balor and took Kit hostage just to challenge me." Gard sighed. "Knowing him, Thomeheb might eat her if he gets hungry enough."

"That's not funny!" Kat yelled at the old savage. Gard turned his head to look at the kitten.

"That wasn't a joke." Gard sighed. "Knowing him, Thomeheb will choose somewhere underground. Somewhere that he will feel invincible."

"The great cavern!" Balor coughed. "He's taken her to the great cavern! It is the only place around here like that!"

"Take me there!" What Gard said took everyone by surprise.

"Gard, this boy is in no state to lead you anywhere." Hattanzo looked at the bleeding Balor. He couldn't believe that Gard would do something like that. Gard then picked up the evabon child and placed him o his back. Hattanzo couldn't believe this. Gard wasn't even listening to him! They all watched as Gard jumped away. Lion-O whistled and shook his head.

"No matter how many times I see that I'll never get use to it." Lion-O sighed. "Gard sure is stubborn, going without any backup. He's crazy!" Lynx-O shook his head.

"No, he's trying to not fill too many graves."


	12. Chapter 12

**Welcome back, gang. We've finally reached the climax. The story isn't done yet though. There is still a few chapters left. Enjoy.**

**Death by Irony**

A mushroom cave lighted by glowworms and fireflies. Gard couldn't believe the misidentification of "the Great Cavern." Balor looked around the cave as Gard let him down. He had never been this far into the cave. He had never gone too deep into it. He felt adventurous.

As Gard walked on in search of Thomeheb and Kit, Balor saw something sticking out of a pile of rubble. Curious he picked it up and saw a dagger, a dirk. Holding it in his right hand he looked at his reflection. He looked like a young Gard. It was remarkable. Looking around he saw that he had fallen behind and quickly ran to catch up with Gard, the dirk still in his hand.

Once he caught up to Gard, the two found themselves facing Thomeheb holding Kit over a crevice. Gard noticed a medallion around Thomeheb's neck. It had a snake motif. How familiar. Balor had been hiding behind Gard. When he saw the situation Kit was in his eyes widened and his jaw dropped in horror. Kit was quite an acrobat but if she was to fall she could die. Bravely, he came out from behind the old savage with the dirk in hand.

"I'm here, Thomeheb." Kit's eyes were drawn to Balor. She was shocked at the appearance of his body: beaten, bruised and bleeding black blood. He looked so vulnerable much like the situation she was in. "Let her go and don't twist my words around." Thomeheb laughed.

"I don't care about killing her, even though she could become my victory dinner." Gard kept a brave face Balor on the other hand was trying not to be intimidated. He kept his eyes on Kit as Thomeheb lowered her down, gently. At least he started to lower her down until he changed his mind and roughly threw her in Gard's and Balor's direction. Instantly, Balor ran over to her.

"Are you alright?" Kit looked at Balor's bleeding shoulder.

"I could ask you the same thing." Balor gave a small smile.

"Both of you get out of here." The kids both looked at Gard. They nodded in response and left the cave, leaving Gard and Thomeheb. Gard breathed. "I've beaten you before." Gard kept his good eye on Thomeheb's right hand as it reached out at a stalagmite. Thomeheb gave a cruel looking smile and shook his head.

"Not in my domain you haven't." Thomeheb broke the stalagmite from the ground and held it in both of his hands. "Here, I am invincible!" Immediately, Thomeheb threw the stalagmite at Gard. Gard just barely got out of the way as the stalagmite broke into pieces as it struck the floor of the cave.

With supernatural speed, Thomeheb tackled Gard into the wall of the cave. Dazed by this attack, Gard tried to make sense of all this. It seemed that Thomeheb truly was more powerful when in a cave. The old savage starred at the giant. There had to be someway to defeat him. Instinctively, Gard ran for the crevice. He jumped down into it. Stuck part way down, Gard looked up at his cousin.

Thomeheb smiled. If Gard were to try and climb back he would die. If he were to go down he would die. Gard looked up and smiled. Dumbfounded, Thomeheb watched as Gard climbed down the crevice. As Gard retreated down into the crevice, Thomeheb stood there frowning in frustration. Punching the cave wall in anger, Thomeheb's strength caused a stalactite to fall from the cave ceiling.

When Gard heard a horrible sound, he climbed back up and saw his cousin crushed by a fallen stalactite. Ironic, Thomeheb had thought himself invincible in the earth when it ended up being responsible for his death.


	13. Chapter 13

**Welcome back, gang. Now if you've noticed the build up to this chapter then you've probably figured out what's revealed in this chapter. Enjoy.**

**Bloodline**

As Balor and Kit got out of the cave they saw Procyon standing before them, the body of Kleos at his feet. In the exact position they had seen him in before, Procyon didn't look at the children.

"The servants of Mumm-Ra are dead." Kit looked at Kleos' slain form and then looked back into the cave. Thomeheb and Kleos? Servants of Mumm-Ra? "Thomeheb believed Mumm-Ra to be something divine, as did Kleos. Neither of them will aid that other worldly demon anymore."

"Procyon." Balor looked up at the ghostly red-skinned before him. "Will Thomeheb and Kleos join you on the floating mountain across the rainbow bridge?" Procyon didn't shake his head. He didn't look down at Kleos' body. He just continued to stare into the cave.

"No." Procyon continued to stare into the cave. "They won't." Balor and Kit turned around as they heard footsteps. Into the light, stepped Gard bleeding heavily. His grey skin covered in the black blood. "Was Thomeheb not as dead you thought, brother?" Gard nodded.

"Third times the charm." Gard looked at his brother. "Is it my time?" Balor and Kit both looked at Gard, a saddened look in their eyes. This couldn't have been goodbye could it?

"Yes and No." Procyon starred at his brother. The expressionless face it made Gard realize so much. Procyon had redeemed himself through his sacrifice but for the atrocities he had committed he had to pay penance, thus he was the sentry of the rainbow bridge. "You will not die but you will join us."

"I decide my own destiny." Gard looked down the two children. "An evabon must die before ascending the floating mountain across the rainbow bridge."

"You needn't worry about the ThunderCats and your descendant, Gard." Balor looked up at Procyon. His eyes were wide open his jaw was hanging. He had no idea. He could not have imagined being related to Gard.

"I thought as much." Gard looked down at Balor. "My blood flows through my veins. I'm not the last of my family… I won't leave him." Procyon's head bent down as he looked at Balor.

"I understand." Procyon then looked at Kit. "You wouldn't leave your friends either." He then looked at Gard. "Very well then. There is nothing that the chieftains can do to me. By being the sentry of the rainbow bridge I am the most powerful inhabitant of the floating mountain. I'll keep the option open for you. For both of you." And with that Procyon faded away. Once he returned to the rainbow bridge, Procyon heard someone walk up to him.

"What word of my father, uncle?" Gryphon, Gard's son and a mirror of his father looked across the landscape of Third Earth.

"He has chosen wisely." Procyon starred across the rainbow bridge as the spirit of a tolac ran across it: Calaban. A smile appeared on his face. "We both know he'd never abandon a child, let alone one of his own bloodline. Your father, my brother is as noble a being as any that still roam Third Earth. The nobility he has is a rare thing. It is like the leader of the ThunderCat's nobility. Gard's loyalty to a family member on Third Earth is heartwarming and we shall wait for them."

"Good." Gryphon knelt down and scratched Calaban behind the ears. "He has returned to the way he should be. His long exile is now truly over. My father is the way he was before his exile. His heart and soul are now at peace. He has found his family."

"Yes, he has found his way back." Procyon and Gryphon both smiled. Gard's soul was safe. He had not fallen. He had emerged victorious.


	14. Chapter 14

**Welcome back, gang. Well here we are, the final chapter. Enjoy.**

**Till We Meet Again**

Balor sat next to Kit on a rock. Looking out across the lake. The ThunderCats would be leaving soon. Hattanzo had already left to return swords to people. Lynx-O was staying at the village because he liked it there. Gard had found a home in the village and family there too. Balor still had a family. He hadn't lost it. Gard was his family.

"We both still have family." Balor looked at Kit. There was a small smile on his face. "You have your brothers, your sister, your mother and I have Gard."

"I hope my little sister and brother are still alive. My mother, too." Kit picked up her instrument. Balor looked at it curiously. It wasn't like a lyre. It was so strange. Kit made noise by blowing into it. "My mother use to sing a lullaby to us. I can play it would you like to hear it?" Balor thought for a moment. He wasn't sure about this. Ultimately, he nodded. Kit played the lullaby and Balor felt like he was transported to the farmlands of Thundera. It was like magic. At the end of it all, Kit gave Balor a kiss on the cheek and walked away. The ThunderCats were leaving. Balor looked down at his feet then looked at the spot were Kit had been sitting. She had forgotten her instrument. Instantly, Balor picked it up and ran to the ThunderTank but too late! It was already far away. Gard watched as the child ran after the tank. Balor must have run for five minutes until he jumped fifteen feet. A grin appeared on Gard's face as he watched this. Balor was quite something. Definitely a descendant of his! By the time Balor had stopped jumping, the ThunderTank was far away. With a frown on his face Balor walked back to the village. Finally, Gard walked up to him and patted the child on the head.

"They'll be back, Balor." Balor looked up at his elder. They were his friends… both of their friends. "Friends always visit." Balor looked out into the distance and his frown turned into a smile.

"Till we meet again." Gard looked at Balor and smiled. He had lost family members and at the end of it all he had found a family member, he had found friends, he had found a home. He was happy again for the first time in a long while. Balor had found a family member and friends, too. They had both found what the other wanted, what they both wanted. There were happy endings.

**The End**

**Well that's it gang. I might do more evabon stories but they'd have to be evabon not connected to Gard. Might do some AU stories if I want to. I find it easier to work through OCs so wither way you can expect an evabon.**

**Gard, Procyon, Balor and Thomeheb were the first characters I've been able to create that seemed like they could have come from the a show they were part of the fanon of. I think I did a good job.**

**I'd like to thank you all for joining me on this adventure. You can be sure to expect more in the future. Once I've thought of one you can enjoy it. But really, thank you all for your support. Until next time, read and review.**


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